China has unveiled its pavilion at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, highlighting decades of efforts to combat desertification.
Spanning over 600 square meters, the China Pavilion is the second-largest national pavilion at the event. The exhibition, themed “Cross-Century Green Great Wall, China’s Restoration in Action,” showcases the nation’s fight against desertification, particularly through the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program—a massive initiative aimed at reversing land degradation.
At the opening ceremony, UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza Murillo praised China’s significant contributions. “I was moved by the images of different generations of the Chinese people fighting desertification and by China’s leadership in this process,” she said. She emphasized that effective policies, community involvement, and innovation are key components of China’s success.
Guan Zhi’ou, head of the Chinese delegation and administrator of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, emphasized China’s commitment. “For 30 years since joining the convention, China has diligently fulfilled its responsibilities, actively participating in global desertification control alongside other countries,” he remarked.
“China will continue to share technologies and experiences, contributing wisdom and strength toward achieving the 2030 global land degradation neutrality target and advancing the G20 global land initiative,” Guan added.
Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chang Hua highlighted the growing cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in combating desertification. He noted support for the Kingdom’s Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives and the development of renewable energy in the region.
COP16, held from December 2 to 13 under the theme “Our Land. Our Future,” is the largest UN land-focused conference to date and the first UNCCD COP in the Middle East and North Africa. Delegates aim to accelerate land restoration, improve resilience to droughts and sandstorms, restore soil health, and scale up nature-positive food production with a focus on 2030 and beyond.
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China Pavilion opens at UN desertification conference in Riyadh
cgtn.com
